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Mosaic Masterminds

Mosaic Masterminds

Owner: April Ruiz

Location: Grand Rapids, MI

Formed In: 2003

For more than 14 years, Mosaic Masterminds has offered private tutoring services in western Michigan. “I started working with a couple of peers who were taking college classes at the time,” owner April Ruiz says. “Word-of-mouth referrals amassed!”

Since Ruiz has a background in engineering, she focuses on math and STEM categories. She also specializes in English and Spanish language tutoring, grammar, and writing, and test preparation. Mosaic Masterminds students range from preschoolers to adults wishing to go back to school or learn a second language.

How SCORE Helped:

Ruiz had been waitlisting families for tutoring services for three consecutive years, so she knew she needed help growing her business. When she overheard a conversation about someone working with a SCORE mentor, she went online and looked it up.

“I wanted to appropriately and effectively grow my business as I was embarking on a new level that I hadn’t had experience around before.” she says. Coates initially met with Ruiz every week or two to consult on her growth opportunities.

My Successes:

SCORE mentor Jim Coates connected Ruiz to people and resources who could help.

“Do your research,” Ruiz advises potential small business owners. “I’ve done a lot of that, even in the past year or two as I’ve been growing. Check out your competition. It’s not always about being the first to do something, it is about who can be the most competitive in that space.”